Thursday, June 19, 2014

Nowadays baby showers aren't just for the ladies. Trade in the Baby Bingo games for a chic backyard BBQ shower that can be enjoyed by everyone! Come on in and take a gander at this baby bash I recently planned for a very fun & creative couple :)

Party Details

Mom & Dad To-Be envisioned a casual California vibe that felt more like a party than a traditional baby shower that all their family and friends could enjoy. We decided to go with a playful & rustic BBQ theme. My jumping off point for the decor was this cool blue herringbone fabric which was perfect since they are expecting a boy.

The playful herringbone pattern was incorporated throughout all of the party decorations. My girl Amber at Half Pint Prints helped design the shower invitation that was mailed to all the guests. Mixing different fonts really helps pull off that rustic casual look and feel.

This feature table was front and center for guests to see as they arrived.

A few very subtle baby shower details were worked into the decor like these adorable onesie kraft paper cutouts I used to create the cake bunting.

For the thank you favors I had custom mini BBQ sauce bottles made up and used the same onesie cutouts and twine for the Thank You message.

Guests were encouraged to write warm wishes and take an instant Polariod of themselves to create a memory album for the parent's to-be and baby.

These 36 inch balloons really add such a WOW factor. They work great for daytime parties to create visual height to a party space - they add the same affect as strings of lights for a night party.

The hostess and aunt to-be mixed up some of her specialty sangria. YUM! And how cute are these little tequila shooters?! That's my kind of baby shower!

What's a BBQ without some of LA's finest BBQ food?! Guests feasted on ribs & chicken, mac n cheese, cornbread and some of the greatest coleslaw around.

White cotton diaper cloths rolled with twine and stacked on display were used as napkins. The best part is that after a nice washing these can be used as burp cloths for the baby!

Per Dad to-be's request I created and set up a onesie decorating station. TIP: place a little paper bag inside each onesie to make it easier to decorate and hang when completed. Also the marker or paints won't seep through to the backside of the onesie. PS - how amazingly epic is this backyard view??

Grandma to-be picked up these vibrant sunflowers at Trader Joe's and these adorable little onesie charms from Michael's crafts store. They made for the perfectly charming and rustic centerpieces in mason jars tied with twine.

Monday, June 9, 2014

You know what Graduation and Father's Day cards in Target means? Yup. Dust off the patio furniture & BBQ and get your citronella candles out cause it's officially Summertime! I'm dressing up our mosquito repelling candles with a super easy and cheap PB inspired lantern knockoff using materials from the hardware store!

My inspiration was the Hyannis Lantern at Pottery Barn which normally retails for up to $70 for the largest size.

All the materials for my DIY lantern were purchased at the hardware store - one large and medium sized pickling jar, twine, rope, drawer knobs and clamps. All tallied I spent $16 for my large lantern and $14 for my medium sized lantern. BOOM! (microphone drop)

Here's how….

First, remove the hardware and lid from the jar

Place the clamp around the neck of the jar. Using a pen mark the clamp where the holes for the drawer knob and screw should be placed on each side of the clamp

Next place a board or piece of PVC pipe through the middle of the clamp to prevent it from bending and to provide a hard surface to drill into

Use a drill bit that is as wide as the screw for the drawer knob you choose. Drill through the marking you made on each side of the clamp

You may have to drive a nail through the drill hole to speed the process along and prevent the drill bit and clamp from getting too hot

Note: don't worry if the clamp bends a little when you're drilling the holes. It will retake it's shape once you secure it on to the jar

Mount the screws and drawer knobs onto the clamp

Place the clamp around the neck of the jar. Use a screw driver to secure the clamp tightly to the jar

Place the rope (I used 1/2" round rope for the medium sized jar and 3/4" rope for the larger jar) around the screw between the knob and the clamp. As you tighten the knob onto the screw it will act like a vise securing the rope

Next tie some twine tightly around the rope to make the handle

Place a little hot glue on the rope so that the twine stays in place as you wrap it around and around to make the handle

Cut the rope to the desired length that you want the handle to be

Hot glue and wrap twine on the other side to complete the handle

Fill your candle with sand or shells to help hold the citronella candle in place